News, nature, and community throughout the Emerald Triangle

Humboldt’s Marijuana Museum

Welcome to Humboldt’s Marijuana Museum. Although Humboldt County is justly famous for its cannabis production, there has been very little done to collect the history of the plant in the area nor to document how prohibition has changed the character of the area and its inhabitants. This page (and may there soon be more) is an attempt to gather at least a photographic and written record of this very unique slice of history.

31 comments

This is so ironic! I dreamed about a So Hum museum just a few weeks ago . . . not just about marijuana, but about homesteading, hippy paraphernalia, photography of crazy hippy dwellings . . . I sincerely hope this happens! Another way to get people to visit the heart of the redwoods 🙂

A lady named Teresa Porter, formerly an exec. director at the Humboldt Co. Historical Society, and an owner of the Benbow Inn, wanted to do something big that would include this. She wanted to create a Southern Humboldt history museum, probably in Garberville, with of course a focus on counterculture and pot history, but also including the real old-timey stuff, back to Native times. We spoke about this a year ago or so. She is a person good at accumulating funds and grants–if people got together with her something might happen.

Thanks Teresa! Keep me in the loop. We are having some exciting news here re: the Mattole Valley Historical Society–i will send you a letter about it– and i don’t know about too much involvement outside my area for now… but you never know, a little way down the road…?

I will email you the letter re: our news.
Meantime, i hope all is well with you and yours.
~Laura

Not sure how long you’ve been an owner in Benbow Inn, but I remember a few years back an “owner” was on KMUD saying how much he hated the marijuana industry. He was saying that he cant keep employees because after a few weeks they meet someone who offers them a job in the “industry”. He said he had to hire traveling, out of country workers.

At one point Benbow caused a big stink when they asked a breast feeding woman to leave the dining room. The track record doesn’t show Benbow as counterculture loving.

Why is Lake always the hidden part of the triangle? Feels like a red headed step kid sometimes. AND Jack Herer and Eddie Lepp both lived here, and Eddie might be able to come back after the halfway house is over.

I think the idea is lame and underscores why this area will probably never amount to much. We might as well have a beer or hooker museum because those activities have been an integral part of local history from the beginning.

wow way to sound like a straight stick in the mud! Do u live in humboldt? If you do, why? If you don’t, why bother commenting on such things. There is a ton of very unique history to this area and people are going to want to know about it in years to come. I mean they have documentaries and reality shows about far less interesting topics. When legalization goes thru this is going to turn into a huge revenue stream for the county and state and there are going to be tourists flocking from all over the country and beyond to see for themselves where it all began. This is a harmless, cool little idea that would be a great way to educate and make some money for people wanting to see the mecca and birthplace of the marijuana industry. sorry that was too long but… a cute little museum about marijuana and the origins of humboldt sounds like an AWESOME idea. They have beer and hookers just about everywhere (thank god jk) theyre not unique to this area at all.

” A Straight Stick In The Mud ” I guess that it is supposed to be an insult but you missed the mark so put the bong down. Outside of the medical uses what is there to celebrate ? ? Your legalisation = jobs is ( surprise. . . . not ) off the mark. Ask any grower, trimmer, transporter, dealer, or home hash maker how great it will be to not have a source of income. How happy will all you pot heads be to pay $ 390 an ounce. Still think it’s a great idea ? If you do I have 10 acre’s on a private road with a water source to sell you.

Alcohol was once illegal and smuggled and look now legal and the story and history of alcohol is a big deal…I think it’s same with merijuana I myself don’t smoke it or drink however if people didn’t Humbolt may never have been born..It is top revenue next to logging and logging isn’t so big now…However emerald triangle residents do not want tourist’s not more anyway..no one wants a big flood of people moving in and taking up more beautiful country side…already cut so much redwood only a few small parks of oldest redwoods are.left and that’s kinda sad….imagine cutting one tree down and being able to build a big house with it…or a couple..mabe that’s why in Victorian days everyone’s house was 2345 stories tall some so huge and could afford back then will all the wood and I’m sure weed was there alcohol to.,..always good to know history of a place good or bad the knowledge should be for all and apply everywhere…

I also think a brothel and booze museum would be fabulous, this area has a crazy history that is not squeaky clean in the slightest, but it is absolutely fascinating!! Some really great and tragic stories floating around that could be better documented.